Excerpt two of 'For The Good of Country'
by jadvisioness
Summary: Don and Ian watched as Colby crashed into the crates and slid to the floor, his body going terribly still.


**Title:** Excerpt two of 'For The Good of Country' (a Numb3rs non-posted WIP)  
**Character(s)/Pairings: **Colby, Ian and Don – with Colby/Ian and Don/Ian mild UST  
**Rating:** PG-17?  
**Warnings:** None?  
**Spoilers: **Humvee accident

**As always:** Purely for entertainment; I claim no ownership of anything other than the idea of the story I've created – everything else belongs to all the PTBs/cast/crew and etc. of the Numb3rs franchise. _No disrespect is meant to all those who created the worlds that we love to play in and the characters whom we love to read/write about. To the actors/actresses/beings who portray those characters, we wouldn't love them as much as we do without your talent and dedication._

**Author's Notes:** _This is another excerpt of a story I'm working on that is looking to be a multiple crossover. It's still in the beginning stages but... based on the previous excerpt's reaction (over on my LJ), I thought I'd post a little more. As mentioned in the comments section to people who actually sent feedback, I'm still planning on taking it 'original' and seeing if I can get it published :)_

_This continues directly after the last excerpt._

* * *

_Several months later…_

At six foot one, Ian Edgerton was able to see most of the LA FBI bullpen from his position standing near the elevator. It had been several months since he'd last been here and he looked around the office, assessing everyone without a second thought. Noticing Don in the conference room, he was just about to make his way over when a tall, muscular blonde haired man stood from his chair, pointing to something on the plasma screen behind Don.

_Granger?_

A few seconds was all it took.

_Colby!_

Damn! He knew Colby had gotten out of Afghanistan but hadn't had time to track him down to find out where he'd been stationed. Apparently he'd gotten a prime spot in LA with Eppes.

Trying to hide the smile that was bursting to get out, Ian made his way to the conference room; stepping inside after a polite knock on the glass door. Ian took a moment to shake hands with Don, giving him a small smile before turning to Colby.

"Granger! When did they drag your butt in here?" He grabbed the man's hand, smiling fully, and pulled him into a one armed hug, slapping him on the back.

Colby was just as surprised to see Ian as the sniper had been when standing near the elevator and returned the gesture. "Ian, man, it's good to see you. I thought you were at Quantico now."

He knew that no one in the room could read him as well as Colby could. And Ian also knew that Colby wanted nothing more than to put aside the professional façade, just as he did, and give him a real hug, not to mention a breath stealing kiss.

Nodding their heads, each getting the meaning of the other, for getting together as soon as they could to catch up and hang out, they separated, aware of Megan, Don, David and Charlie's presence.

Colby returned to his chair as Ian filled them all in on what had brought him to LA.

* * *

Their target was a warehouse just outside the city and shared the large paved area with six other structures in just as bad of shape. Having looked over the building before setting up their surveillance, the agents had seen most of the few windows it had been designed with, broken or boarded up; there was also a large hole, enough for a small person to get through, about waist high, a third of the way down on the right side.

The information they'd gotten said that the three man team they were after used the place, not only as their storage facility, but also as their headquarters. Observation over the last twenty-four hours had shown no other activity besides the three criminals Ian had asked Don and his team to help him capture.

Don Eppes parked their SUV in the early morning shadow of the building nearest their target and his team exited the vehicle, all of them heading to the back to finish gearing up. While they had a lot of weaponry in the cargo area, they kept themselves to two assault rifles, one for the sniper and the other for Granger. Already wearing their concealed bullet resistant vests and their equipment jackets, the rest checked their handguns, grabbing extra clips as a precaution, while Ian got a jacket for himself and Colby strapped on a thigh holster for his sidearm.

Getting the nod from everyone, Don gave the go ahead and they moved out as a unit. While Don, Ian and Megan moved to take the front of the building, Don peripherally watched David and Colby go around the side of the structure, waiting for the three clicks on their comm units that signaled the two had reached their position.

A moment later, Don gave two clicks and they entered the building.

And within seconds, they all knew they were in trouble.

***

As Colby moved stealthy into the building parallel to David a few feet away, his assault weapon held in ready position, a feeling of unease rippled down his spine. However, before he could do more than identify it, all hell broke loose. Gunfire began in the front of the building and soon more began focusing towards their own position and Colby had no choice but to find cover and do the best he could to take out the opposition.

Definitely more than three men and they weren't supposed to have any weaponry. Obviously the information they'd been supplied with was all wrong. Considering there wasn't any radio chatter, Colby reached for his comm unit, changing channels to reach their emergency frequency. Sending out a request for help, the agent wasn't sure if it'd gotten through or not as his earpiece filled with static.

Motioning to David, Colby moved towards the front of the building, attempting to get closer to Don's area and flank the shooters. As the former soldier cautiously peered out from his cover, looking around, he saw Don pinned down by gunfire. Just as he located their sniper, Colby moved to break cover, sensing too late the presence coming up behind him. Spinning towards the left, he fired his gun at the same time as the gunman and he was slammed into some crates to the left of him, the force of the bullet to the vest knocking him to the floor.

***

While adrenaline was an amazing drug and people could do things they ordinary wouldn't while it was running through their system, taking a bullet to a vest, especially at close range, really shook a body. Don and Ian watched as Colby crashed into the crates and slid to the floor, his body going terribly still.

***

Ian saw Colby go down, cursing under he breath as his heart stuttered. Locking his emotions down, the sniper was soon able to pick off the two pinning Don in place; at which time the lead agent took the advantage to quickly move from behind the crates he'd been using, ignoring the danger to himself, to race to his teammate's side. The gunman Colby had gotten shot by and had in turn shot, lay a few feet away, blood pooling under him.

As Don broke his position, Ian moved to give the agents cover fire. Just as Don reached Colby, who was now slowly struggling to move, another shooter revealed himself. Danger unseen, the lead agent holstered his weapon and put his hands under Colby's arms to begin pulling him backwards towards another stack of crates. However, the blonde caught the movement and just as he yelled to Don, Ian moved from his own spot.

Gunfire erupted and Don fell backwards to the floor, blood blossoming on his upper right shoulder area, just as Ian's target fell backwards, a single whole in his forehead. As more shots focused in on his position, Ian had no choice but to duck back into his stack of crates. Counting to five, he broke cover once more, attempting to recon the area to see if there was any way of getting to the two wounded agents, and ended up getting a fist to the face.

Throwing his rifle in front of him, he blocked the blow heading towards his stomach and then kicked out at the gunman. Sensing a presence behind him, Ian was just a second too slow in responding and a moment later, he was flat on the floor, lower lip split, a gun pointed at his head.

***

As Don fell to the concrete, Colby scrambled to pull himself parallel with him. He needed some bandages and he needed them now. Not seeing anything available, there wasn't time to think of anything else, except to take off the jacket and use his shirt. Struggling to get out of his apparel, Colby grimaced in agony, sweat breaking out on his body, the pain in his chest increasing with every movement until the former soldier thought he was going to pass out.

Finally getting his shirt off, he bunched it up as best as he could and put it over Don's bullet wound. Colby was so focused on keeping his pain at bay and on treating his boss, he ignored the cold sensation of something being pressed against his neck; he was just starting to apply pressure to the makeshift bandaged area when he was pistol whipped upside the head and everything went black, pain following him down into unconsciousness.

* * *

End of 'excerpt 2'


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